Age has its benefits!

Whoever said that age has its benefits must've been looking at the standards for the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT).  As I'm getting ready for Officer Basic Leadership Course (OBLC), I'm fighting the battle of the bulge, and trying my best to get ready for my APFT when I arrive in San Antonio (in a little over a month).

I looked at the standards today.  Thank God I'm in an older age bracket!  As I run around the track at my gym, I feel months of inactivity taking their toll on my legs.

I have always wanted to be a runner.  I can remember looking up at my behemoth of a track coach in middle school.  He was close to 300 pounds, but yelled at us to run faster, as if he could possibly remember what running fast meant!  My family moved to Colorado right before my 8th grade year, so I proceeded under the tutelage of a different track coach.  Mr. LaDuke was inspiring to all of us gangly tweeners in 8th grade.  Then High School came. . .and I suffered from horrible shin splints.  Thus ended my running career in school. 

Nevertheless, I trained hard to get into running shape for Basic Training and found I could run with the "greyhounds" both in Basic and Advanced Training.  My dream of becoming a runner was within reach again.  Of course, I got into the civilian routine while attending college, and my days of 7-minute miles came to a screeching halt.

Since those days, I've completed dozens of 5-Ks, a few 10-Ks, half a dozen triathlons, and a half marathon.  Despite these accomplishments, I still don't feel that I can call myself a "runner."  Every time I get a pedicure, the technician says, "Oh, you must be a runner."  I give her my standard answer, "No, but I run."  People at work say that I'm a runner.  I remind them that I'm not a runner, but I run.  With every conversation like this, my wish to become a runner is reinforced.  My middle sister is a runner.  It comes naturally to her.  My husband is a runner.  He's a gazelle.  My son is a runner.  I simply run.

So, as I was turning the corner on my 22nd lap (sounds impressive until you realize it's only 2 miles) today, I reminded myself that, with a lot of perseverance, I might, just maybe, become a runner one day.  Until then, I'll keep running and thanking God that I have lower standards to meet than when I was last in the military.  (-: